San Francisco Giants: Brandon Belt and 7 Other Players Sabean Could Trade

With the MLB trade deadline just around the corner, general managers all over the league aren't getting much sleep as they relentlessly continue to assess their teams' trading chips.

Brian Sabean, the general manager for the San Francisco Giants, might not be getting any sleep at all until July 31.

Sabean has already come out and publicly said that he is not done trying to improve the Giants' inept offense, even after the Giants just acquired Jeff Keppinger from the Houston Astros.

One thing that every general manager must do around this time of year is evaluate every player in the organization, determining which ones will be available to other teams and which ones are off limits.

Here's a list of the eight Giants players that should be available to trade for at the right price.

Which Giants Are Unattainable

The first step in the trading process would be to decide which players are off limits.

There are always exceptions to these situations, like if the St. Louis Cardinals wanted to trade Albert Pujols for Tim Lincecum, but I don't see that trade happening any time soon.

Here is a list of the Giants that will not get traded.

1. Tim Lincecum: He is the face of the franchise. Tim will be a Giant for life.
2. Matt Cain: The longest-tendered Giant won't be going anywhere for a very long time.
3. Buster Posey: Buster will be the cornerstone of the Giants offense for at least the next decade.
4. Pablo Sandoval: The "Kung Fu Panda" is going to be blowing bubbles at third base for a long time. 
5. Brain Wilson: Teams will have to "fear the beard" when facing the Giants for a while longer. Plus, he is too important of a marketing tool to be traded away.
6. Madison Bumgarner: "MadBum," Lincecum, and Cain will be atop the Giants starting rotation for years to come.

Barry Zito and Aaron Rowand

Although both of these players aren't likely to be going anywhere due to their contracts and disappointing level of play, it doesn't hurt to dream that there is some team out there willing to take them off of the Giants' hands.

The Giants would likely take box of Coco Puffs in return for Barry Zito and his remaining contract.

However, there have been rumblings out there of potential swaps between the Giants, Phillies and Cubs that include players such as Raul Ibanez and Alfonso Soriano.

This is entirely speculation and very unlikely to be done, so take them with a grain of salt.

All these potential deals would essentially entail one underachieving and overpaid player in return for another.

Brandon Belt

Yes, Brandon Belt is considered to be the Giants' future first baseman for the next 10 years and all signs are pointing towards him becoming the next Will Clark.

Brian Sabean has already came out and publicly said that Brandon Belt will not be traded, which is definitely the right thing to say considering Belt is a rookie and already has a world of pressure on his back.

Being compared to Will Clark and expected to somewhat shadow Buster Posey's rookie year in 2010 is a lot to ask for from anyone, let alone a 23-year-old.

While the chances that Brandon Belt will be dealt this trade deadline are extremely slim, that does not mean it is impossible.

If the Astros general manager Ed Wade called Sabean on the phone tonight and inquired on Belt in a possible trade for Hunter Pence, I guarantee Sabean would be all ears.

Jonathan Sanchez

Jonathan Sanchez trade rumors have gone viral as of late, and for good reason. 

There is no denying Sanchez's talent and the incredibly high ceiling that he has, but everyone is growing tired of seeing the same mental and accuracy problems constantly hold Sanchez down.

"Dirty Sanchez" has one year left of arbitration eligibility, and then will be set to become a free agent at the end of the 2012 season.

The trade rumors started circulating when Barry Zito made some spectacular starts for the Giants after his return from the disabled list, making fans believe that Sanchez was expendable.

However, those talks have quieted down a bit due to Zito's poor performance against the San Diego Padres last week. 

I believe that Sanchez will be a Giant come August, but that certainly doesn't mean he is exempt from any trade talks.

Eric Surkamp

Eric Surkamp has been one of the biggest surprises out of the Giants farm system this season.

While some believe that Surkamp is one of the most pro-ready pitchers in the Giants farm system, that only makes him more appealing to other teams who are looking to get their hands on some pitching.

The Giants are in a great situation pitching wise for years to come due to the likes of Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain and Madison Bumgarner.

With Zach Wheeler looking to crack the Giants rotation in a couple of years, there might not be much room for Surkamp since it is remotely easy for teams to fill that fifth spot of the rotation via free agency. Moreover, that is assuming that Jonathan Sanchez is not on the club at that time, and the jury is still out on that subject.

Surkamp could be the most interesting trading chip this deadline for the Giants and don't be surprised to see him dealt somewhere for a bat.

Zack Wheeler

Zack Wheeler is another prospect that Sabean has said will not be traded.

Analysts have predicted Wheeler to be a top-of-the-rotation pitcher once he reaches the big leagues, which is incredibly high praise considering he'll be joining an accomplished Giants' rotation once he gets there.

While many teams would want to hold on tightly to a prospect like Wheeler, the Giants are in another boat.

San Francisco already has an abundance of young and gifted pitchers who are thriving in the major league, hence making prospects like Wheeler and Surkamp easier to trade.

The general consensus now is that the MLB is a pitching-dominated league, and the Giants know this better than any other team out there. This could make the Giants want to hold onto their pitching prospects, but Sabean knows that they need some offensive help, and they need it badly.

You have to give something up in order to get something else in return.

Hector Sanchez

There is one thing and one thing only that makes Hector Sanchez expendable this deadline, and that thing is Buster Posey.

While it has been mentioned that Posey should make the switch to another position in order to prolong his career with the bat, trading Sanchez in that situation might not be the smartest idea.

No one except management truly knows why Sanchez was called up for a week or so, but some believe it was to showcase him to other potential trade partners.

Hector Sanchez must have opened some eyes in the Giants organization considering he made the jump from Single-A all the way to the majors in half a season.

While it is doubtful that Sanchez get dealt this trade deadline, I'm sure the Giants would be willing to entertain offers in order to obtain a major league-ready bat.

Thomas Neal

After a stellar year in Single-A during the 2009 campaign, Thomas Neal's power numbers have been slowly dropping, which in turn has lowered his trade stock.

Neal hit 22 home runs in 2009 with the San Jose Giants, followed by 12 last year and only two so far this season.

Neal was on the fast track to the majors after his first successful season in the minors, but that now has been temporarily put on hold due to his recent struggles.

While Neal is not considered one of the Giants' top prospects like he once was, he would certainly be a nice addition to a package deal in order to acquire an established major league bat.